1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for facilitating the selection of different elements of a composite interior design and more particularly to a device that enables the reproduction of a representation of the selected design.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of interior design, it is important to assist the customer in visualizing the final look of a proposed interior design. This is sometimes done by creating a drawing or rendering showing the proposed design and possibly some alternatives. Creating a drawing for a customer is very costly and simply cost-prohibitive for many consumers of interior design products such as draperies and furniture.
The problem of visualization in interior design has been addressed in the prior art when it relates to choosing a specific fabric, wall paper design or floor covering for a completed design. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,058 discloses a system for combining different fabric patterns with a couch design selected by the customer for easy visualization. This is done by providing a series of opaque sheets, each having a clear cut-out showing a particular couch design. The customer can then place different fabrics behind the selected "couch" sheet. The fabric will then show through the clear "couch" cut-out, giving the customer a better idea of what the fabric will look like on the selected couch. U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,531 discloses a system for viewing the combination of a wall covering with a floor covering to ensure that the two selections match each other. The sample wall and floor covering is placed behind the upper and lower portions, respectively, of a clear sheet with a central opaque depiction of the mid-portion of a room (for example, showing the tub and sink of a bathroom). However, these devices do not go beyond selecting samples of available fabrics, wall coverings or floor coverings. In particular, these devices do not allow the user to combine different elements of a composite design together for visualization, before the color, fabric, wall covering or floor covering selection is made. Further, a copy of the representation is not readily available for the customer to take home.
For example, if a buyer wishes to accessorize a particular window with a window treatment, there is no system in the prior art that will allow the buyer to combine different elements of a window treatment design, such as on the window, valance, shade and side panels, together and view the results. In many cases, it is difficult for the average buyer to select a particular window treatment for a window because it is not easy for the buyer to visualize how the combination of elements that form the window treatment would appear together on a window. In addition, the buyer is usually not familiar with all of the categories of window treatments that are available, nor is the buyer familiar with all of the available styles within each category of window treatment. Thus, an accurate comparison of all of the available combinations of window treatments is not always possible. In addition, most window treatments are purchased in a store environment where the window to be treated is not available. Without the window present it is difficult for the buyer to imagine how a particular window treatment would appear on the specific type of window that is being treated.